Quick Answer
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Crossword clue: “Acted without saying anything”
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Answer: MIMED – 5 letters
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Clue number and direction: 1 Down
The New York Times crossword clue “Acted without saying anything” is answered with MIMED in 5 letters. In the grid, it appears as MIMED going down.
Why MIMED Is the Right NYT Answer
To mime is to act out something using only gestures and facial expressions, without speaking, which matches “acted without saying anything” exactly. The past-tense form “acted” in the clue lines up neatly with the past-tense answer MIMED.
In the February 12, 2026 NYT Mini, 1-Down is confirmed as MIMED in multiple solution sources, and its letters line up perfectly with the Across entries MARG, CIGAR, AMAZE, LEVEE, and DESK.
What MIMED Means
In plain English, mimed means “acted out silently,” often by exaggerating gestures and expressions, the way a mime performer would. It implies communication through movement instead of words.
So the clue is just a natural-language description of that idea: someone who “acted without saying anything” mimed the action.
Solving Tips for Similar NYT Clues
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Look for silence hints: phrases like “without saying anything,” “silently,” or “no words” often point to MIMED, PANTOMIMED, or ACTED OUT.
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Match tense carefully: “acted” → MIMED; “acts” → MIMES; “act” → MIME. The clue’s tense should always align with the answer’s.
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Use crossings: patterns like MI_ED or _IMED in a silent-acting clue will almost always resolve to MIMED.
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Keep a short list of performance verbs: MIME, EMOTE, ACT, MUG, which come up a lot in NYT-style grids.
How MIMED Fits the Grid
For 1-Down, the NYT Mini gives a 5-letter vertical slot, which MIMED fills exactly. Pattern-wise, the entry looks like:
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MIMED(M‑I‑M‑E‑D)
Each letter is confirmed by a crossing Across answer:
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M with MARG.
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I with CIGAR.
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M with AMAZE.
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E with LEVEE.
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D with DESK.
When all crossings form valid words, you know MIMED is the intended solution.
Other Ways MIMED Might Be Clued
MIMED appears in crosswords with variations like:
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“Acted without words”
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“Performed silently”
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“Did a silent routine”
All rely on the same core concept of acting through movement instead of speech.
Complete February 12, 2026 NYT Mini Answers Today (Across & Down clues and answers)
Here are the key answers from the February 12, 2026 NYT Mini to help you complete the grid.
Across
| Clue | Answer | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| Tequila cocktail that often comes in a salt-rimmed glass, casually | MARG | 4 |
| Signature export of Cuba | CIGAR | 5 |
| Bowl over | AMAZE | 5 |
| Flood regulator | LEVEE | 5 |
| Classroom station | DESK | 4 |
Down
| Clue | Answer | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| Acted without saying anything | MIMED | 5 |
| Desert plant used in tequila production | AGAVE | 5 |
| Demolishes | RAZES | 5 |
| Language from which we get “cosmos” and “democracy” | GREEK | 5 |
| Berkeley campus, for short | CAL | 3 |
